Ahead of the 2023 Global Food Security Summit, Islamic Relief Worldwide CEO Waseem Ahmad said:
“It is a shocking indictment of the international system that years of progress on tackling hunger is being undone, as global levels of hunger have more than doubled in the last few years.
We’re seeing climate change, conflict and rising inequality push more and more people into crisis levels of hunger and malnutrition. There has never been more food in the world, but inequality and disregard for international law means that millions of people cannot access it and are going hungry.
Right now, civilians in Gaza face starvation as the Israeli siege denies them food. One of our team in Gaza told me he met a family who only had one tin of tuna to eat between them for the whole day.
In Sudan we’re supporting health facilities that are overwhelmed with malnourished children because parties to the conflict have forced farmers from their land and attacked humanitarian workers.
In Somalia, the worst drought in 70 years has destroyed crops and killed livestock, while the war in Ukraine has pushed up prices and made staple foods unaffordable for people all over the world. In Afghanistan and Yemen lifesaving food and nutrition projects are at risk of shutting down due to lack of funding.
As always, it is the poorest people who are most affected by the actions of high-polluting nations and warring parties.
The international community has repeatedly broken promises that would help tackle global hunger. Commitments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals have fallen way off track. Rich nations’ promise to deliver $100 billion of annual climate financing has failed to materialise. And international humanitarian law continues to be violated with impunity.
We know that progress is possible. Huge strides to tackle malnutrition were made in recent decades, but the past few years have seen funding slashed. We hope this summit will help regain momentum in the fight against hunger. With the right political will, we can end global hunger.”